Buoyed by winning the 2023 Rugby World Cup with the Springboks, loose forward Marco van Staden believes the Vodacom Bulls are “one step” away from glory this season.
The 28-year-old made his maiden appearance at the global spectacle in France last year, featuring at flanker and hooker for the back-to-back champions.
The Bulls are riding high in 2023-24, with Jake White’s men up to fourth spot on the Vodacom URC log and set to host their first Champions Cup last 16 tie against French giants Lyon on 6 April.
Speaking on the Bulls’ official podcast, Van Staden emphasised the transformative potential of the Pretoria outfit, while addressing his setbacks at Leicester Tigers due to concussion-related layoffs before returning to Loftus in 2022.
“I think there is something different this season, and I hope the environment we have, the team, coaching staff – everything that’s being done for us outside of the game – the best we can do is win the URC. I think the union deserves it,” he said.
“When Coach Jake started building and building and building, we won the Currie Cup twice and the Super Rugby Unlocked, and we went to the final of the Rainbow Cup and the final of the URC.
“But I think that we just need that one more step. One of the other [goals] is to compete fully in the Champions Cup – and I think we can… Like the Springboks changed South Africa, I think we can change Pretoria. We definitely have the capacity to do it.”
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He added: “For me, I just want to give my best for the team with every chance I get. It can be taken away from you very quickly.
“You don’t realise it, but it can be taken away very quickly – rugby can stop at any time. That’s what I realised from that side [at Leicester].”
Despite being cleared to play for Leicester, Van Staden says political issues within the English club limited his opportunities, leading to his release in July 2022.
“I had to leave the club, and the rest of the rugby world thought I struggled with concussion, which was not the case,” he explained. “I was cleared to play, but everyone was a bit sceptical, so it was difficult to get into [the team].
“I wanted to come back home after the year we had … My wife just said we have to come back home to our family, and fortunately, I signed again with the Bulls.
“We approached the Bulls to come back. They were sceptical, but after everything was proven, that everything was fine, they were happy.
“Me coming back to the Bulls, I think if it wasn’t for that, I might not have gone to the World Cup.”
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